Loose-motion device for electric controllers.



R. VAN R. SILL. LOOSE MOTION DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1909.

964,81 9. Patented July 19-, 1910.

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UNITED STATEEATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD VAN R. SILL, 0F NEH/"ARK, NEV] JERSEY, ASSIGNOR C 13 'lWO-TEIIR'DS ALPHONZO E. PELHAM, OF NEVJ' YORK,

LOOSE-1VIOTION DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CONTROLLERS.

Application filed June 10, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD VAN R. SILL, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Iitnprovements in Loose-Mo tion Devices for Electric Controllers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In the use of electric controllers in which the rotary drum, carrying the contact sur faces for engagement with the fingers connected to the resistance, is operated directly by a handle or other means of manual control, the operator frequently holds the drum at such a point that one of the contact surfaces is just out of engagement with its respective finger. This creates an arc and is the cause of considerable annoyance as the fingers soon burn out, requiring that the controller and the hoist, or other machine which it may be operating, be closed down until new fingers can be substituted. The operator may have his attention directed to the work being done by the machine and with the desire to insure the proper speed may move the controller drum without thought of the fact that one or more of the contact surfaces is just sufiiciently removed from its finger to cause the are. These facts are well known and various means have been devised to overcome the difliculties recited.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved and effective means for operating a controller so that it can not be held at such a point that one of its contact surfaces shall be so near its finger as to cause an are.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows a controller embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows the star wheel and pawl and the loose motion device.

Referring to the drawing 1 designates a controller cylinder of the usual type containing a rotary drum 2 equipped with contace surfaces 3 adapted to successively engage fingers 1- to cut out the resistance in the line to a motor. I have shown the drum 2 on a sleeve 5, the sleeve in turn being mounted on a shaft 6 movable in bearings 7.

Suitable insulation pieces are indicated at 8 to prevent the arcs jumping from the drum to the star wheel and bearings.

Specification of "Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Serial No. 501,325,

The star wheel 9 is keyed to and rotatable with the drum 2. 10 designates the loose motion device. As shown it consists of a pair of jaws 12, 18, fulcrumed on the shaft 6 and having rearward extending portions 14L between which is a spring 15 tending to hold the jaws 12, 13 closed. A stud 16 on the star wheel 9 extends between the jaws.

An arm 1'? keyed to the shaft 6 has an angular extremity 18 which also projects into the space between the jaws.

19 designates the pawl co-acting with the star wheel and riding over the cam surfaces thereof against the tension of its spring 20 which may be secured to the wall of the cylinder.

21 is a handle by which the shaft 6 may be rotated.

In practice the notches of the star wheel correspond in number to the contact surfaces 3 of the drum and are so disposed that when the pawl 19 is seated in a notch the corresponding contact surface is either fully in engagement with its respective finger 1 or sufficiently far removed therefrom to avoid arcing, according to the direction of rotation of the drum and star wheel. When the shaft is given a partial rotation by turning handle 21 so that the direction of rotation shall be that indicated by the arrow a: in Fig. 2, the arm 17 which is keyed to the shaft will turn with the latter. This will cause the angular extremity 18 of the arm to bear against jaw 12 of the loose motion device and cause the latter to rotate on the shaft. In doing so its jaw 18 will bear against stud 16 of the star wheel and impart movement to the star wheel and to the controller drum to which the star wheel is fixed. The movement of the shaft and consequently that of the drum and star wheel are resisted by the spring 20 tending to hold the pawl 19 in a notch of the star wheel and this resistance is communicated through the stud 16 of the star wheel to jaw 13. In the meantime the angular extremity 18 of the arm 17 is hearing against jaw 12. Thus the two jaws are opened and spring 15 compressed. Springs lo and 20 therefore tend to counteract each other until the operator has moved the controller handle so far that the pawl 19 has reached an apex of the star wheel and the corresponding contact surface 3 is at the point of engaging or leaving its finger 1. The succeeding movement is out of the control of the operator. The pawl under the tension of its spring is prepared to quickly enter the next notch of the star wheel. The resistance offered to the movement of the star wheel being overcome spring 15 will close jaw 13 and quickly move the star wheel and drum by reason of the contact between the jaw 13 and the stud 16. This automatic action will continue until the next notch when the described operation may be repeated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a circuit controller, the combination with the rotary shaft having a handle, of a drum mounted on said shaft having a star wheel, said drum being capable of rotation independently of said shaft, a pawl co-acting with said star wheel, a pair of jaws fulcrumed on said shaft, a spring tending to hold said jaws closed, a connection between one of said jaws and said star wheel, and a connection between the other of said jaws and said shaft.

2. In a circuit controller, the combination with the rotary shaft having an arm keyed thereon, and means for rotating said shaft, of a drum mounted on said shaft having a star wheel equipped with a stud, said drum being capable of rotation independently of said shaft, a spring actuated pawl co-acting with said star wheel, a pair of jaws fulcrumed on said shaft and adapted to receive said arm and said stud between them, and a spring tending to hold said jaws closed.

3. In a circuit controller, in combination, a rotary shaft, an arm keyed on said shaft and having a right angular extremity, a drum loose on said shaft, a star wheel fixed to said drum and having a stud normally adjacent the extremity of said arm, a springactuated pawl coacting with said star wheel. and a pair of jaws fulcrumed on said shaft intermediate said star wheel and said arm and sandwiching the extremity of said arm and said stud, said jaws having rearward extensions, and a spring between the same tending to hold said jaws closed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD VAN R. SILL.

lVitnesses GRAFTON L. MOGILL, MAY Fannmo'rox. 

